Pages

Thursday, April 16, 2015

Quilter of the Month April 2015-- Katie Burford

We are bringing back an old tradition of IMQG that is a series called "Quilter of the Month". Each month we will showcase one member of the Indy Modern Quilt Guild, and for the first one this year we have our very own President, Katie Burford!

What sewing machine do you use? Does it have a name? Do you like it?My grandma’s 1999 Kenmore it’s not a fancy
machine but it gets the job done and it has a 50 year warranty. I don’t love it but really let’s be real I
don’t really know much about the bells and whistles of any sewing machine.

Where do you sew? What’s your space look like?Currently my sewing space is in my bedroom. It’s also my work from home office space so I
have to keep things pretty much put away or I can’t work.

What makes you a modern quilter?Probably that traditional Quilters might cringe
if they saw me work. Colors. Fabric,
Lack of pattern etc.

Tell me about your first quilting experience.

My first quilt was
made of all sorts of fabrics I’d collected that were blue. I am a crafter by nature so I took things
like felts, and silks, and old prints I had made doll clothes with when I was
8, as well as some ripped up blue jeans, a tee-shirt, the back of an old suit
jacket etc – literally anything was fair game.
I sewed them all together into some patternless design mostly squares
and rectangles. I didn’t know about basting
at the time so I binded it to the backing which was a butterfly sheet, then
turned it like you would a pillow stitched it closed and then quilted it
freestyle, mind you it was like the size of a queen bed. It was pretty bad. But I was so excited about this dreadful
creation that I then decided to get some real fabrics and learn really how
quilts are made. My ex took the quilt
with him like two years later and I don’t think I even have a picture of it.

What’s your dream machine?

One that has a lifetime
supply of white thread and bobbins that don’t run out, babysits Jones, brings me dr. pepper and
doesn’t care if I don’t change my foot. Really I don’t have one my next machine will
probably be acquired much in the same way as this one.

What is your favorite part of making a quilt?

Anything but binding
and basting.

What is your most dreaded part of making a quilt?

Basting and Binding.

Do you have any great tips and tricks you want to share?

Not necessarily a tip
or trick but I want to encourage people to not be afraid of imperfections and
doing things the right way. It’s okay to
just be creative.

Where are your favorite brick and mortar quilt shops?

Crimson Tate. Honestly though I also have really just been
wanting to shop people’s scrap stashes?
I think that would be epic.

What are your favorite online fabric shops?

Fat Quarter Shop,
Etsy Stores

What time of day do you usually sew? Do you listen to music, or watch TV?

After Jones is in bed
so usually 9-11. I will sometimes listen
to a podcast from NPR, or listen to music sometimes I just like to hear
nothing.

Creative community. Sometimes I really crave being able to talk
and be near people who are also creative and are making things. And IMQG gives me a monthly dose of that. And really friendships.

Do you sew/make other things besides quilts?

Well sewing wise I
don’t really make things other than quilts.
I also Project Life, and make handmade cards, and frequently do other
crafty related projects – pinterest is my homie.

What's your favorite project you've completed?

I really like my
friend Lynley’s scrap quilt because it’s like a combination of many
projects. I also love all the quilts I
made my siblings from our picnic blanket – they are so different but still
using the same fabric.

Thank you Katie for participating in our first Quilter of the Month in 2015!